History will be made in Ripon on Saturday night when the Platinum Jubilee Horn, made to mark the Queen’s remarkable reign, is blown for the first time.
The horn, commissioned by the city council to provide Ripon’s citizens and visitors with a ceremonial means of celebrating Her Majesty’s 70 years of service, will be presented to Cllr Sid Hawke, the Right Worshipful the Mayor of Ripon by John Richmond BEM.
Mr Richmond, an honorary freeman and former Mayor of Ripon, has the distinction of being the only person to carry out the internationally famous setting of the watch ceremony while in mayoral office, when he acted as a ‘stand-in’ hornblower in December 1975.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“It is an incredible honour to be asked to present the new horn in a city which takes great pride in its royal heritage.
“This goes back to Alfred the Great who, in 886, presented Riponians with their first ceremonial horn as a ‘thank you’ for their courage in fighting off a Viking raid.”
John Richmond BEM and Freeman of the City of Ripon who made history in 1975, will present the new Platinum Jubilee Horn.
The presentation will take place on Ripon Market Square at 8.45pm in time for the setting of the watch ceremony at 9pm.
The horn was made by Duncan Grimmond, a locally-based craftsman who has made several horns for the city council over the last four decades.
Mark Sidwell, musical director of Ripon City Band, advised Mr Grimmond on the process of making the horn, which is believed to be from an African buffalo and has silver mountings.
The mountings include the Commemorative jubilee hallmark and the inscription reads Presented by Ripon City Council to the City of Ripon on the occasion of HM Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee – June 2022.
Cllr Andrew Williams. leader of Ripon City Council who proposed the commissioning of the new horn, pointed out:
“This will be a permanent reminder of our jubilee celebrations this week which promise to be the most comprehensive anywhere in North Yorkshire”
The nightly setting of the watch has continued un-broken for 1,136 years and is believed to be the world’s longest continuously-held ceremonial event.
It has survived the Black Death, other plagues, world wars, civil war and, more recently, the covid pandemic lockdowns, which saw Ripon’s team of four hornblowers keep the tradition alive by sounding their blasts behind closed doors at their homes.
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Timetable of Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Valley Gardens
Details have been published of events in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens over the four-day holiday to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The free events have been organised by Harrogate Borough Council, are for all ages, and include magicians, juggling shows, fairground rides, live music performances and mini discos.
Thursday 2 June
- 10am until 4pm – Face painting
- 10am until 6pm – Fairground rides, climbing wall, character meet and greet
- 12noon until 1pm – Children’s show and mini-disco on the bandstand
- 11am, 1pm and 3pm – Juggling show on the bandstand
Friday 3 June
- 10am – Harrogate Borough Mayor Councillor Victoria Oldham officially opens the event
- 10am and 1pm – Pantasy steel band (various locations)
- 10am until 4pm – Face painting
- 10am until 6pm – Artisan market, fairground rides, climbing wall, character meet and greet
- 11am until 12noon – Live performance from Harrogate Operatic Players, Ripon Operatic Players, Phoenix Players and St Andrew’s Players ‘songs from the shows’
- 12 noon until 1pm – Children’s show and mini-disco on the bandstand
- Juggling shows in various locations throughout the day
Saturday 4 June
- 10am until 1pm – Pantasy steel band in the bandstand
- 10am until 2pm – Face painting
- 10am until 6pm – Artisan market, fairground rides, climbing wall, character meet and greet
- 12 noon until 1pm – Children’s show and mini-disco on the bandstand
- Juggling shows in various locations throughout the day
- Magician and magic shows throughout the day in various locations
Sunday 5 June
- 10am until 4pm – Artisan market
- 10am until 4pm – Face painting
- 10am until 4pm – Character meet and greet
- 10am until 6pm – Fairground rides and climbing wall
- 11am until 12noon – Knot Another Choir live on the bandstand
- 12noon until 1pm – Children’s show and mini-disco on the bandstand
- Juggling shows throughout the day in various locations
- Magician and magic shows throughout the day in various locations
Councillor Andy Paraskos, the council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:
“Valley Gardens provides the perfect backdrop for our four day event to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
“There will be children’s entertainers, magicians, jugglers, face-painting, rides, live music performances, an artisan market and much more. There truly is something for everyone and even better, it’s all free.”
Sponsored by broadband provider Boundless Networks, the Stray Ferret has compiled a list of events across the district over the big jubilee weekend. click on the banner below for details.
Harrogate to celebrate jubilee with four days of events
A big screen on the Stray, picnics and live music will be at the centre of Harrogate’s four-day programme of events celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Destination Harrogate and Harrogate Business Improvement District today revealed plans to commemorate the Queen’s 70-year reign over the bank holiday weekend from June 2 to 5.
Part of the Stray will be transformed into Jubilee Square. It will include a large stage and video screens to broadcast the Queen’s birthday parade.
Films will be shown and there will also be a dog show and a Harrogate mastermind quiz.
The town centre will be adorned with 4km of bunting and there will be six sets of street entertainers performing across the four days.
Valley Gardens will also host a free family festival, which will feature jugglers, magicians, choirs and fairground rides. An artisan market will also be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Valley Gardens’ Sun Colonnades.
Gemma Rio, head of Destination Harrogate, said:
“By providing a large stage and video screens for The Stray and a family festival in Valley Gardens, we’re also showcasing why Harrogate is a great events destination.
“We hope that our residents and visitors will take the opportunity to enjoy the events happening in these glorious outdoor spaces, and experience the town centre buzzing with activity and entertainment for such a jubilant occasion.”
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Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID manager, said:
“Our Jubilee Square will be a place for families and friends to bring a picnic, watch events happening live in London via our big screen, enjoy – and participate in – a variety of fun events and activities, or to simply chill out and relax.”
Ripon plans £105,000 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations
Ripon is planning for a right royal celebration next year.
In June 2022, The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, marking her milestone of 70 years as monarch, will be celebrated with four days of events across the UK.
To enable Ripon to plan well in advance, the city council has set aside £105,000 from its reserve fund.
City council leader Andrew Williams received unanimous support for proposals to roll over monies that were not spent in the current financial year.
He pointed out:
“From our experience of hosting the UCI cycling event in 2019, we know that we need to put money aside now.
“That will enable us to put all arrangements in hand for a programme of events, which will require the booking of a variety of equipment and facilities.
“We want to do a proper job to mark the queen’s incredible service to this country.”
The government has unveiled plans for a long weekend of celebrations, which has seen the late May Bank holiday moved to Thursday June 3 and an additional Bank holiday added on Friday June 3, creating a four-day weekend.
Ripon has a long and proud royal heritage, having been awarded a ceremonial horn in AD 886 by King Alfred the Great after townspeople fought off a Viking attack,
During the English Civil War, the city was on the royalist side of Charles I and the cavaliers who battled against Oliver Cromwell’s troops on Market Square.
The clock tower erected for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.
Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee was commemorated in 1897 with the erection of a clock tower at the junction of Palace Road, North Street and Princess Road.
In 1985, the queen visited Ripon Cathedral and the town hall for Royal Maundy, when the monarch gives silver coins to older people on Maundy Thursday.
All her milestone anniversaries, from the Silver Jubilee in 1977 to the Diamond Jubilee in 2012, have been celebrated in the city.
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Besides planning for next year, Ripon City Council is also looking ahead to this summer.
Councillors voted an additional £30,000 of funding for the refurbishment of play equipment and fencing at Quarry Moor Park.
This brings total funding to £60,000, which will enable the swings and roundabouts to be replaced in time for the lessening of lockdown restrictions.